Jardin Potager Quiche & Baby Greens Salad

Quiche

As our gardens wind down, there may be a few veggies on the vines. This recipe can be altered to use any vegetable, cheese or salted meat. It’s a great pairing with a simple salad with a nice citrus dressing.

*Herbs de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs typical of Provence. The standard mixture typically contains savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender flowers and other herbs.



Quiche Crust

1 Cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ cup good olive oil

¼ cup ice water (Use crushed ice and water.)

Directions:
Mix flour and salt with fork. Whisk oil and water to thicken. Combine oil mixture with flour and mix with fork. Press into 9" pie crust pan.
Quiche Filling

½ Cup cubed ham
¼ Cup cubed zucchini
¼ Cup sliced green onions
¼ cup or 1 small green tomato
4 eggs
2 cups ½ & ½ cream
1 cup shredded Colby/Jack Cheese
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence*
¼ teaspoon all spice
¼ teaspoon white pepper

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat In sauté pan, sauté ham, zucchini, green onions and tomato till slightly brown. In bowl, whisk eggs, cream, spices. Pour sautéed mixture in crust, then egg mixture. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300 degrees, and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
-Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges-

Baby Greens Salad

4 cups baby greens
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pecans toasted (Roast on small pan for a few minutes w/quiche.)



Orange Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons orange marmalade
1/4  cup orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Combine first 4 ingredients in medium-sized bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil, then 1/2 cup water. Continue whisking until smoothly blended. Combine salad greens, onions and desired amount of vinaigrette in a medium sized bowl. Arrange on serving platter and garnish with blue cheese and pecans.

Service:  Plate one large wedge of quiche, sided with salad.  Pair with glass of chilled apple cider.

Beef Borscht

September 2011 Recipe of the Month
On a cold, rainy fall day, soup paired with crusty bread is the perfect resolve for any stormy weather.  This recipe is a favorite friends who frequently cooks it.  For any of you who come from Eastern European stock, its a family favorite. This hearty beef and beet soup was served to travelers at local Inns on their way from one city to another.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds cubed boneless stewing beef

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 beet trimmed

• 1 can sliced beets

• 1 can low sodium beef broth

• 1 leek, chopped

• 1 carrot chopped

• ½ head of cabbage, coarsely shredded

• Fresh dill

• ½ can diced tomatoes, drained (no salt)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (no salt)

• 2 cups of water

• 2 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup brown sugar packed

• Salt and Pepper

• ¼ cup of sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut ends off of beet, wrapped in foil and roast in oven for 1 hour. Cool.

2. In large soup pot over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil, brown beef in batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

3. Add remaining oil and sauté leeks and carrots until softened and slightly brown.

4. Drain canned beets and broth to make 2 cups to the pot, add beef, tomatoes, cabbage, water, tomato paste and a few sprigs of dill, bring to simmer, stir and cook till beef is tender approximately 1 hour.

5. Slice beet and add drained beets, vinegar, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 5 minutes longer.

4. Serve with sour cream and chopped dill.

Serve with sliced Tuscan bread and butter and a hearty glass is red wine. This soup’s flavors improve, so feel free to make a day ahead before serving.

Goat Cheese & Shrimp-Stuffed Poblanos for 2

Easy Gourmet - April 2011 Recipe of the Month
 I had dinner at a cozy little Blue Island restaurant last weekend.  Had a yummy stuffed chile that was awesome.  Thought I'd take a spin on the tasty dish  for this month's Easy Gourmet.  As you know, I'll wander the grocery isles till the idea hits me.  This time I was looking at the spices and saw Smoked Paprika.  Thought this would be a nice compliment to the roasted chiles.

2 poblano chiles

2 ounces mild goat cheese

¼ cup Taco style shredded cheese

¼ pound cooked shrimp from butcher counter chopped

1 tablespoon white onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste



Roast poblano chilies either over a direct flame or under a broiler until charred. Place chiles in zip lock bag to steam - Remove the charred skin. Leaving the stems intact, make a slit in the sides of the chiles and remove the seeds.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheeses with shrimp, onion, cilantro and chive. Taking care not to tear the chilies, carefully stuff them with the cheese mixture. Transfer the chilies to a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for about 10 minutes.

Serve with smoked paprika tomato sauce.

Smoked Paprika Tomato Sauce:

1 Jar good pasta sauce

1 Tablespoon roasted paprika

1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped

Olive oil to taste

Heat olive oil sauté jalapeño chile in a medium skillet heat around 2 minutes add sauce and paprika, heat for an additional 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-Enjoy Julea Joseph